1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering device provided with an actuator at an intermediate portion of a steering shaft extending downward from a steering handle for altering the transmission ratio in rotation between upper and lower portions of the steering shaft in dependence on the traveling state.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, on the upper surface of an actuator provided in steering devices of this kind, there is provided a cable case of a double cylinder structure, wherein a case inner component composing an inner member of the cable case is fixed to the actuator, whereas a case outer component composing an outer member of the cable case is fixed to the vehicle body. A spiral cable constructed by winding a flat cable is housed inside the cable case and is fixed to the case inner component at one end thereof and to the case outer component at the other end thereof. Further, an external cable electrically connected to the spiral cable is stretched between the case outer component and the vehicle body, and the supplying of electric power is performed through the external cable and the spiral cable. Upon the manipulation of the steering handle, the winding state of the spiral cable changes between the case outer component and the case inner component, so that a load added by the manipulation of the steering handle is not applied to the external cable. Thus, the reaction force to the cable upon the manipulation of the steering handle is suppressed to improve the endurance of the cable.
FIG. 13 shows a prior art steering device. In this steering device, a clip 2 is provided at an intermediate portion of an external cable 1 to be fixed to the vehicle body (not shown). And, a case outer component 5 is secured against rotation relative to the vehicle body by extending a wire 4 of a V-letter shape from a wire hook 3 integrally formed on the clip 2 and by fixing opposite ends of the V-letter shape wire 4 to two portions on the circumferential surface of the case outer component 5.
However, according to the aforementioned prior art steering device, in car models wherein the clip 2 and the case outer component 5 can be arranged relatively close to each other, the angle made by the V-letter shape of the wire 4 is widened, so that the case outer component 5 can be secured against rotation. On the contrary, in other car modes wherein the clip 2 and the case outer component 5 are obliged to be far from each other, the wire 4 becomes long to make the angle of the V-letter shape narrow, so that it is unable to secure the case outer component 5 against rotation.